Tom DeLay still waiting to learn legal fate

[Draggingtree]

Austin American Statesman:

Tom DeLay still waiting to learn legal fate

 

By Juan A. Lozano

Associated Press

Published: 9:16 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012

HOUSTON — Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay still waiting to learn his legal fate since being convicted nearly two years ago for his role in a scheme to influence Texas elections is praying for vindication but also preparing for the possibility of imprisonment.

DeLay's three-year prison sentence has been on hold as his case has made its way through the appellate process. For both DeLay and his critics, the process has been frustratingly slow, due in part to some of the appeals court justices in Austin recusing themselves as well as DeLay's successful effort to have a judge on the panel removed because of anti-Republican comments she made.

"I don't like living under this cloud. But I'm not angry about it. I even pray for the prosecution and my enemies," the former Houston-area congressman told The Associated Press in an interview. "No, they have not destroyed Tom DeLay as a person. And I'm ready to go to prison if that's where I'm supposed to end up."

But DeLay, and his attorney, Brian Wice, are hoping to get his convictions overturned. On Oct. 10, they will finally get a chance to make their case to the 3rd Court of Appeals, arguing

[Pepper]

Shows how time flows differently for certain events. Would have sworn that happened ages ago.

[Draggingtree]

Posted: 11:28 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012

Court hears DeLay’s money-laundering appeal

 

By Laylan Copelin

American-Statesman Staff

Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay should not go to prison on money-laundering charges because the 2002 campaign transaction involved a $190,000 check and not cash, his lawyer argued before the Third Court of Appeals Wednesday.

Houston lawyer Brian Wice said the Legislature later changed the money-laundering statute to include checks, proving that DeLay’s transaction was not covered by the law. But Travis County prosecutor Holly Taylor said lawmakers in 2005 were only clarifying what was already the law.

She said Wice’s argument is ludicrous because a drug dealer would have been guilty of money laundering if he used a money order but not a cashier’s check.

Taylor pointed out that criminals using checks were being successfully

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/court-hears-delays-money-laundering-appeal/nSY9x/